BHIM app users can now send money using Aadhaar card number

Jan 31, 2017

BHIM (Bharat Interface for Money) ll now be able to send money using their 12-digit Aadhaar number at places where Aadhaar is listed as a payment option. The Unified Payments Interface (UPI)-based app will get biometric-based Aadhaar Pay option as well. The feature is expected to roll out in the coming weeks. In our case, we were able to make payments using our verified Aadhaar card number. Apart from Aadhaar-based payment option, users can pay using Mobile/Payment Address and Account +IFSC.

Currently, the government has 14 banks on-board to facilitate payments via Aadhaar Pay, with more to join soon. According to a report, 1.11 billion people in India have already registered with Aadhaar, and close to 390 million bank accounts are linked to Aadhaar number. With the launch of biometric-based Aadhaar Pay, payment via BHIM app will become simpler as it only requires verifying your biometrics.

As of now, two PINs are required for a successful BHIM transaction. One is the app PIN which is stored locally on the phone and is required every time a person starts BHIM. The other is the UPI PIN with which you set up an UPI account or a VPA, which is required only when a transaction is taking place or you request to see your account balance on the BHIM app.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the digital payments app BHIM from National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) on December 30 last year. The digital payments app topped Google Play Store free apps chart in just three days. Within a month, it was downloaded more than 5 million times on Android. Aadhaar Pay option was anticipated since the app was launched. BHIM is different to mobile wallets such as Paytm and MobiKwik as it also allows sending money to people who don’t have the app. The UPI integration to USSD payments can work on feature phones and offline as well.